Costco butter recalled what happened why recall was issued

ATLANTA — A voluntary recall is ongoing for nearly 80,000 pounds of Costco’s “Kirkland Signature” brand butter because of what largely amounts to a packaging mishap.

Food and Drug Administration enforcement reports show recalls for 900 cases of Kirkland Signature salted sweet cream butter, in packages of four 4-ounce sticks; and 1,300 cases of Kirkland Signature unsalted sweet cream butter, also in packages of four 4-ounce sticks.

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The reason? The enforcement reports list, “Butter lists cream, but may be missing the ‘Contains Milk’ statement.”

It might seem obvious that cream contains milk, but federal food safety regulators don’t mess around with these sorts of things. Here’s the breakdown of the recall:

The distribution pattern listed in the FDA reports only lists Texas. The recalls apply to Continental Dairy Facilities Southwest LLC, a company in Littlefield, Texas that supplies Costco with butter for the Kirkland brand. It was initiated on Oct. 11, according to the notices.

The salted sweet cream butter variety includes recalls for:

• Lot 2424191 with a “best by” date of Feb. 23, 2025
• Lot 2427591 with a “best by” date of March 29, 2025

The unsalted sweet cream butter variety includes recalls for:

• Lot 2424091 with a “best by” date of Feb. 22, 2025
• Lot 2424111 with a “best by” date of Feb. 23, 2025
• Lot 2426891 with a “best by” date of March 22, 2025
• Lot 2426991 with a “best by” date of March 23, 2025

There isn’t one mentioned in the FDA recall notices. It’s simply tied to the packaging mistake.

Those notices classify the recall as a “Class II” recall, which is initiated in a situation where “serious adverse health consequences is remote” or health consequences would potentially be considered “temporary or medically reversible.” 

The main issue in this situation is for anyone who may have purchased the butter, thinking it was a non-dairy product, and could experience adverse reactions because they have a milk or dairy allergy. Anyone with the butter who does indeed have a milk or dairy allergy should dispose of it.